Liverpool and Lille match report
Liverpool's impressive season continues with their return to European competition, with Arne Slott's side so far boasting a perfect record of six wins in six Champions League matches.
The Reds are at least guaranteed a play-off place in the new league format and are top of the table with two games remaining.
Lille also impressed, winning four of their six matches to finish eighth – but only two French teams have won at Anfield in a major competition.
Slott says he is not focused on finishing top of the standings because no one knows if that will guarantee an easier knockout match at this stage.
“The most important thing is that when we go out there we want to win the game,” he said.
We are back! 🙌#UCL pic.twitter.com/a3kizqozJt
– UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 20, 2025
“With this new setup, you think finishing first is the best position to end it, but because it's a strange league table, because every week, even if you play a team at the bottom of the table, they're the hardest team to play against and if you finish first you can play them.
“I don't think about the league table in such a way that if you finish first you get the easier team because being at the top doesn't tell you you're the best team. It's impossible to say because of the strange form we have.”
Liverpool vs Lille team news
Liverpool will once again be without Portuguese striker Diogo Jota, who missed the Reds' trip to Brentford.
work towards #UCL MD7 👊 pic.twitter.com/IWqkVX89Nz
– Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025
Jota came on and scored after 22 seconds in the recent draw with Nottingham Forest, but he suffers from an extra shoulder muscle and will be out for several weeks.
Versatile defender Joe Gomez suffered a hamstring injury last December and is also still out of action.
The expected lineup for Liverpool's match against Lille
Liverpool:alison; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Grafenbruch, McAlister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Jacopo
night: Chevalier; Mounir, Diakite, Ribeiro, Ismaili; Others, Gomez; Bakker, Haraldsson, Capella; David
